G3 Musidora S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Infinite Possibilities On The Knavesmire

Sir Michael Stoute unveiled his 2022 Epsom Classic winner at York's three-day Dante meeting and bids to repeat that trick on Wednesday as he puts TDN Rising Star Infinite Cosmos (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to the test in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. over an extended 10 furlongs. Following the astronomic performance of Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Chester last week, the Oaks appears cut and dried as long as the Ballydoyle starlet stays on track but that is not a certainty during this volatile time of year, especially for the fillies. Infinite Cosmos did more to impress in defeat on debut than when breaking her maiden at Newmarket 12 days ago and Stoute himself described that as workmanlike, so it may be that the Rothschild homebred reaches her obvious potential later than June as was the case with her Sea The Stars-sired relative Crystal Ocean (GB).

Making The Great Leap Forward

Following the Cheshire Oaks, the story of this year's Epsom Classic is the race just to stay in the relative vicinity of the newest and potentially greatest middle-distance filly Rosegreen has produced in the Aidan O'Brien era. Her incredible closing sectionals, fascinatingly compared with Shergar's in Simon Rowlands Sectional Spotlight blog on the At The Races site, mean that all remaining trials for Epsom will have to pass the clock's inspection. One who has the potential to put up a big figure in that respect is another who recently received the TDN Rising Star honour in Linda Shanahan and Emily Magnier's 9 1/2-length Newbury maiden winner Gather Ye Rosebuds (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}).

“It was a great result first time and she put in what looks like an outstanding performance,” trainer Jack Channon said. “I feel like, mentally and physically, she's improved from that run. She's a big filly that's maturing day in, day out. She hadn't quite lost her coat at Newbury, but she's really shining now. She's started to flourish in the last three weeks and I couldn't be happier with the way all her work and everything like that's gone.”

The Yardsticks

Every Classic trial worth its salt needs proven performers and the Musidora has those thanks to the presence of Roisin Henry's G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf fourth Midnight Mile (Ire) (No Nay Never), Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Novakai (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Weldspec Glasgow Limited's G3 Prix Penelope runner-up Sea Of Roses (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), with the latter having beaten Infinite Cosmos last term. Richard Fahey is happy that Midnight Mile, a relative of Sadler's Wells's Oaks winner Quarter Moon (Ire) and runner-up Yesterday (Ire), will be more at home racing further than a mile for the first time.

“She has wintered extremely well and we are very happy with her,” he said. “She has filled out and I should imagine this trip will probably suit her well, but this is a good Musidora, a very good race and it will be a good filly who wins it. She started late last year and she took a little time to come to herself, so I haven't rushed her this year. She got some nice experience last year and we've always felt she would make a better 3-year-old, so fingers crossed.”

Welcome Back, Princess

In the day's feature G2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper S., Highfield Princess (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) makes her keenly-anticipated return to action in the race that saw her reputation take off towards the stratosphere 12 months ago. Those expecting a repeat would be well-advised to remember that the G1 Nunthorpe S., G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G1 Flying Five heroine came into the 2022 renewal on the back of an all-weather campaign consisting of four races and is under a Group 1 penalty this time. That may tell with the likes of Bennett Racing's improving G1 Al Quoz Sprint runner-up The Astrologist (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) and Nick Bradley Racing's high-class 3-year-old Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}) in attendance and race-sharpened.

John Quinn is aware of the different task this time. “She had a break after America, but she's been back in a while,” he explained. “We're pleased how she's training, but all of her life she's been getting the mares' allowance and now, with her Group 1 penalty, obviously she's giving weight to colts which won't be easy.”

Marshman took part in just about the best 2-year-old race over this six-furlong trip in 2022 when second to Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G2 Gimcrack S. at this track's flagship Ebor Festival and will be primed after his return win in Chantilly's G3 Prix Sigy last month. “If you look at the horses behind him in the Gimcrack, Cold Case was four lengths behind him and Royal Scotsman was six lengths behind,” Nick Bradley said. “I think that was a really, really good race. What I was impressed about at Chantilly was the way he accelerated away from the field. We expected him to get tired and he did, but he's come out of the race really well and it should put him spot-on for this.”

A Star At Vichy

Meanwhile in France, Vichy stages its first Flat meeting of the season and plays host to Europe's second juvenile black-type contest of the year. The Auvergne track's highlight is the five-furlong Listed Haras de Beaumont-Prix des Reves d'Or-Jacques Bouchara, which has attracted seven fillies and features Craig Bernick and Haras d'Etreham's TDN Rising Star Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never). Out again quickly for Francis-Henri Graffard following her deeply impressive debut effort over six furlongs at Chantilly earlier in the month, the half-sister to the dual Group 1 hero Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) descends from the great Urban Sea (Miswaki) so this drop back in trip is revealing. She encounters Amo Racing's similarly unbeaten Redcar novice winner Komat (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), more of a dyed-in-the-wool sprinting type from the Dominic Ffrench Davis stable.

The post Infinite Possibilities On The Knavesmire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Musidora A Springboard For Midnight Mile Says Fahey

Midnight Mile (Ire) (No Nay Never) will make her 3-year-old bow in the G3 Musidora S. at York in May, according to trainer Richard Fahey, who also set early season targets for several stable stars.

Last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland when she was fourth to Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), the bay filly was a debut winner at Doncaster in July and followed that with a victory in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. at Newmarket in October. Fahey will have her skip the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas in favour of middle distances this summer, as she looks bred to stay in excess of a mile.

“I'm very pleased with her at the moment, she's wintered very well and she's going nicely,” said Fahey. “I was a little bit frustrated at the Breeders' Cup that she didn't bounce and run and get the place we wanted her to be in, but that's racing. It was only the third run of her life and she's bred to be a better 3-year-old. I was pleased we learned a bit more about her. I'm going to skip the Guineas and all that. I'm going to step her up to a mile and a quarter and start her off in something like the Musidora. I think I'd take her straight there, I just haven't rushed her this year and let her mature, which she has done, and we'll have a second-half of the season campaign.”

Another 3-year-old filly in the yard who will head for a Guineas trial is Barefoot Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), winner of the G3 Firth of Clyde S. and who was fourth in Redcar's Two Year Old Trophy under a penalty.

“She was another who didn't bounce and race that day at Redcar, but we'll run her in a Guineas trial and see what happens,” said Fahey. “She's in both Guineas and we'll play it by ear after her trial to see what we want to do. It will be Newmarket or Newbury for a trial.”

Fahey hit the bullseye at Royal Ascot last season with The Ridler (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), a 50-1 winner of the G2 Norfolk S., but the juvenile colt was last behind Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the G1 Prix Morny S. at Deauville in late August.

“The Ridler is good and he'll start off in the [G3] Greenham [S.] and see where we go after that,” said Fahey. “He just didn't come back as I'd have liked after France, but he's done extremely well over the winter, so we're still undecided whether he's a sprinter or whether we can stretch him out.”

The post Musidora A Springboard For Midnight Mile Says Fahey appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Knavesmire Action!

She may be named after a key character in a Marx Brothers film, but Emily Upjohn's “day at the races” is no laughing matter on Wednesday as the daughter of Sea the Stars (Ire) is concerned as she goes through the gears again in York's G3 Musidora S. at York. The Gosdens' latest 'TDN Rising Star' has already shown form good enough to make her presence felt in most renewals of the Epsom Classic and barring surprises here will be on the Downs with bells on on the first Friday in June. This extended 10-furlong test on the flat Knavesmire was actually threatening to become irrelevant as an Oaks trial prior to the romp of Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 12 months ago and it is a boon that it has attracted the current ante-post favourite. John Gosden sees her as more than just a now horse and said, “She's one of those fillies who will get better with age, because she certainly has the scope and frame to do it.”

Family Ties

In 2014, Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko) emerged on top in the Musidora for Kirsten Rausing and David Simcock and so the circle is complete as her daughter Ching Shih (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) takes part in her race for the same connections. She is every bit as unexposed as anything entered in the Oaks at present based on her four-length success in a mile Newbury novice in October. “She doesn't look anything like her mother, but she will probably be campaigned down a similar line,” Simcock commented. “Is Ching Shih similar? Probably the biggest similarity is she's going to be better when she gets softer ground. She is a relentless galloper.”

Setting the Tone

It's another big week for Shadwell and the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. third Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) could set things rolling in the G2 1895 Duke of York Clipper Logistics S. on the card. Owen Burrows has been patient with the 2020 G2 Gimcrack S. winner and this year could be when he sees the reward for it. “Physically, he has really strengthened up this year and I've had a good preparation with him,” he said. “Obviously he was impressive in the Gimcrack at York and I think that proved he was certainly a quality horse.” After all the twists and turns of fate against Yoshiro Kubota's 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) last term, a win on this debut for the Roger Varian stable could springboard him to new heights where he can leave all the bad fortune long in the past.

Click here for the group fields.

The post Knavesmire Action! appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Highest Ground Takes Dante Test

After weeks of manic re-jigging of the European Pattern, Thursday’s abundance of group-race action will see more pieces of the jigsaw fitted as the main racing nations come close to completing a catch-up with the established order. Alongside the opener of Newmarket’s July Festival, racing finally comes back to York with the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. and G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. taking some of the focus away from Suffolk. For the first and probably the last time, the two extended 10-furlong 3-year-old tests follow Saturday’s Epsom Classics to which they customarily prove such a vital pointer. In the Dante, the burden of expectation falls most heavily on the Niarchos Family’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), one of the lucky ones to have escaped a drubbing from Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Blue Riband. Wisely steered here by Newmarket’s veteran seer Sir Michael Stoute after his comfortable defeat of the well-regarded Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a novice contest over an extended 10 furlongs at Haydock June 24, the bay is still unbeaten and as yet untested. Most importantly, he has confidence still fully intact.

Alan Cooper, racing manager for the Niarchos Family, is looking forward to finding out where Highest Ground stands in a bigger scheme. “It was a good performance at Haydock and afterwards the Dante looked the logical next step,” he said. “It’s obviously unusual to be running races like the Dante and the Musidora at this time of year–the fact these races are clashing with the first day of the July meeting at Newmarket just underlines what a strange year it is. It looks a good step for our horse to take–I’m sure it will be an interesting race.”

Also in the Dante, which serves this term as more of a trial for the upcoming G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and G1 Juddmonte International, is Ballydoyle’s Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who needs to prove that his half-length defeat of Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown June 9 was not just down to the a track bias. York’s Knavesmire has long been recognised as tailor-made for front-runners of his ilk, but he may have competition for the lead from Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s June 6 G1 2000 Guineas fifth Juan Elcano (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Disappointing when only fourth behind the aforementioned Russian Emperor in Royal Ascot’s G3 Hampton Court S. tackling 10 furlongs for the first time, he may have found being backed up that quickly against him.

Shadwell’s unbeaten Al Madhar (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Godolphin’s Encipher (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) re-oppose having finished first and second in a Newbury novice over this trip June 12 and trade at large odds, but as representatives of the Richard Hannon and John Gosden stables command respect in a fascinating contest. Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager Angus Gold is wary of Highest Ground as he ponders the prospects of Al Madhar and said, “I think the favourite looks very smart, to my eye. Our horse is difficult to weigh up, because sometimes his work can be pretty good and other times it can be pretty average, but he has obviously done nothing wrong on the racecourse. I think a mile and a quarter is the right place for him at the moment–he may stay further, but he won what I thought was a high-quality race over a mile and a quarter last time, so we thought we’d stick for the time being.”

In the Musidora, Gosden supplies the likely favourite in the unbeaten dual Newmarket winner Ricetta (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who even allowing for the withdrawal of stablemate Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) still shares the responsibility of carrying the Juddmonte standard. Khalid Abdullah’s Pocket Square (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) is making her reappearance for the Roger Charlton yard, having beaten the smart Gosden filly Run Wild (Ger) (Amaron {GB}) when last seen in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs on testing ground at Deauville in October. Teddy Grimthorpe had the lowdown on both on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, Franconia has scoped dirty so can’t run but luckily we have two others. Ricetta seems to have come to hand well this year and has improved each time and Roger’s filly had a tooth removed in the spring, which is why she’s slower to come out,” he explained. “With that, she’s been behind but she’s progressed well and the form of her Deauville win looks useful.”

Saeed bin Suroor saddles the Jan. 23 Listed UAE 1000 Guineas winner Dubai Love (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who was a creditable third on her European return under top weight in the Sandringham H. over a mile at Royal Ascot June 18. “Dubai Love ran another good race at Royal Ascot. She has done well since and worked nicely on the watered gallop a few days ago,” her trainer said. “I think this trip will suit and I am hoping for a good result again.”

While the unseasonal action at York also includes the delayed Listed EBF Marygate Fillies’ S., in which Roger Varian saddles Amo Racing Limited’s June 20 G2 Queen Mary S. fourth Sardinia Sunset (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), Newmarket’s July Festival at least stays on track where it has always been. The first day of the three-fixture meeting is a fascinating one, with the G2 Tattersalls July S. and G2 Princess of Wales’s Tattersalls S. sharing the limelight. In the former contest, Shadwell’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ and June 20 G2 Coventry S. runner-up Qaader (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) looks for compensation after his reversal at the Royal meeting. Angus Gold said, “He ran very well at Ascot. We obviously ran him back pretty quick, which isn’t our usual way but just because of the funny year we’re in, we didn’t really have any option. This is the next step and another tough race, but he deserves to be there.”

Taking on Qaader is another who went to Royal Ascot in The Queen’s Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), who beat the possibly unlucky Yazaman (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the five-furlong Listed Windsor Castle S. June 17. They are met by one from Ballydoyle in Swiss Ace (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a son of the classy sprinter and high-class producer Swiss Lake (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who scored on debut over the five furlongs that suited the dam so well at Tipperary June 19.

Sheikh Hamdan’s operation have already enjoyed plenty of highs in the brief 2020 campaign so far and could have another profitable afternoon if Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) can deal with the drop back to 12 furlongs in the Princess of Wales’s. A rare 5-year-old racemare in these silks, last year’s G2 Lancashire Oaks, G2 Lillie Langtry S. and G2 Park Hill S. winner only came unstuck when encountering unsuitably testing conditions in ParisLongchamp’s G1 Prix de Royallieu in October. Still on the premises when third to Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in its inaugural running as a top-level 14-furlong contest, she has a class edge over the four horses and geldings she encounters here.

“It’s very exciting to see her back,” Angus Gold commented. “She’s been striding out well at home and, rather like Enable, her enthusiasm and everything seems to be very much intact. She has this lovely, extravagant stride and seems to be working nicely. The ultimate aim for her this year is to try and win a Group 1, but this looks a good place to start. We were thinking about running her in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock last week, but she’s such a beautiful mover and we just felt the ground would be too soft for her up there, so we decided to run here instead. I’m sure John [Gosden] wouldn’t be running her if he didn’t think she was ready.”

Another filly who missed the Lancashire Oaks due to the prevalent soft ground was Anthony Oppenheimer’s Dame Malliot (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who is back over the same course and distance of her five-length win in the Listed Aphrodite Fillies’ S. in July. Subsequently successful in Deauville’s G2 Prix de Pomone over another half a furlong, the Ed Vaughan-trained 4-year-old has had a winter’s strengthening since her sixth behind Enbihaar in Doncaster’s Park Hill. Completing the trio of fillies and mares in the line-up is Waverley Racing’s Antonia de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), another Lancashire Oaks absentee who is denied the soft ground she requires.

Aside from the Group 2 events, Newmarket also offers two intriguing races for the 3-year-olds in the Listed Bahrain International Sir Henry Cecil S. and the G3 Bahrain Trophy. In the former, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s TDN Rising Star Lord Campari (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) is put to the test following his emphatic 4 3/4-length defeat of the subsequent winner Tsar (GB) (Kingman {GB}) over this mile trip at Newbury June 13. He faces Godolphin’s Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was runner-up to Military March (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G3 Autumn S. on the Rowley Mile here but only 14th in the G1 2000 Guineas over the same track and trip June 6. Charlie Appleby said of him, “Al Suhail is making his first start since disappointing in the 2000 Guineas and some ease in the ground would suit. If he can reproduce his good two-year-old form, he should be a major player at this level.”

It is safe to say on the past month’s evidence that Ballydoyle’s 3-year-olds are worthy of even greater respect than is the norm and the one charged with the responsibility of maintaining the momentum is Dawn Rising (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Bahrain Trophy for St Leger candidates. A full-brother to Sovereign (Ire), the bay who was a place ahead of Serpentine when fourth in a 10-furlong maiden at The Curragh June 12 went on to score by 12 lengths over a mile and a half at Limerick 17 days later. Habitually, when one from this stable does something like that they turn out to be big-hitters.

William Haggas supplies a live contender in Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), another to bear the Shadwell livery and another wide-margin winner having taken a 12-furlong novice by 10 lengths here June 18. Angus Gold said of him, “He won what was probably a fairly ordinary race in very good style a few weeks ago. This is a big step up, but we’ve got to see if he’s up to this sort of level or not. Richard Hills has ridden the horse a lot and has always had a high opinion of him, so we’ll see where he fits in on Thursday.”

Click here for the group fields.

The post Highest Ground Takes Dante Test appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post